Bowling ball bump absorbers



June 4, 1963 J. CORYDON u BOWLING BALL BUMP ABSORBERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lgi.

Filed Jan. 30, 1961 INVENTOR. JEFF CoRYDoN 11 BY June 4, 1963 J. CORYDON ll 3,092,385

BOWLING BALL BUMP ABSORBERS Filed Jan. 30, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JEFF CORYDON l1 United States Patent 3,092,385 BOWLING BALL BUMP ABSORBERS J eff Corydon II, Akron, Ohio, assignor to Hush Bumper Service, Inc., Akron, Ohio Filed Jan. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 85,858 9 Claims. (Cl. 27347) This invention relates to method and equipment for decreasing the noises caused in bowling lanes when the bowling ball is returned to its rack and bumps into the newel post at the end of the rack. This terminal improvement results in much quieter action by the returning balls and much less maintenance cost necessary for usual tightening up of elements and repairing the terminals.

Specifically this invention relates to an air-filled bumper attached to the terminal post of a bowling alley which acts resiliently to soften the blow and lessen the noise caused thereby when the ball strikes the terminal post.

This invention employs the cushioning eifect of air in a resilient or elastic rubber-like casing to absorb the blow and resulting noise when the bowling ball strikes the terminal post. The invention consists of an air-filled noiseabsorbing cushion placed in such a location on the terminal post that it absOrbs the shock of the ball striking the post at the terminal of the ball rack and simultaneously quiets the impact.

The bumper of this invention is quieter and much more efiicient and economical in operation than any solid rubber block that can be attached to the terminal post where the balls are stopped on the return rack.

A complete understanding of the operation of this invention will be more easily obtained from reading the subsequent description of the invention as described herein and as illustrated in the several figures in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation of a bowling ball standing in the ball return rack at the terminal post just in contact with the foremost point of the bowling-ball bumper.

FIG. 2 is a front view in elevation of the bowling ball bumper in FIG. 1 but on a much larger scale.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view in elevation of the bowling ball bumper of FIG. 2 along the line 33.

FIG. 4 is a further enlargement of FIG. 3 showing a bowling ball pushing into the bowling-ball bumper attached to a terminal post.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional view of the means for attaching the bowling-ball bumper to any prepared surface such as a terminal post.

FIG. 6 is a front view in elevation of an alternative construction of a bowling-ball bumper.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view in elevation of the alternative construction shown in FIG. 6 taken along the line 77.

FIG. 8 is 'a front view in elevation of another alternative construction of a bowling-ball bumper cushion.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view in elevation of the alternative construction shown in FIG. 8 taken along .the line 99.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the sectional view in FIG. 9 showing the impingement of a smaller and lighter duck ball and under the protruding point of the normal size of bumper aircushion.

In the several figures of the drawings similar reference numerals refer to identical elements, and with particular reference to FIG. 1 number 11 is the terminal post at the end of ball-rack 12. The bowling ball 13 is shown impinging on the protruding tip or peak 14 of the bowlingball bumper cushion 15.

In FIG. 2 is shown an enlargement of the cushion 15 showing the tip 14- at the top of a conical formation 16 that descends to a valley 17 before the surface of the cushion rises again to form a circular rim or head 18.

3,fi92,335 Patented June 4, 1963 In FIG. 3 the same aforesaid elements are more clearly discernible as well as the means for attaching the bumper 15 to any prepared surface located in the back wall 19 of the bumper. Numbers 20 and 21 indicate lugs that had been molded into the back wall 19- of the cushion 15 showing threading so as to receive bolts for attaching to newel post 11.

In FIG. 4 we have a graphic illustration of the twostage cushioning action of the bowling-ball bumper of this invention. The rolling ball first strikes the tip 14 of conical shape 16 and proceeds to compress it until the oncoming ball rolls into the annular rim 18. This is the exact condition shown in the illustration of FIG. 4. From that instant as the bowling ball 13 continues to roll forward resistance to its travel is given by the wall-s of bumper cushion 15 and the air content within the cushion itself. In all cases under test the combined strength of the walls and the confined in the bumper has been sufiicient to prevent the flattened conical wall 16 from touching the back wall 19 of the bumper 15.

In FIG. 4 is also shown the method of attaching the cushion to the terminal post 11 by means of double-ended bolts 22 and 23 which are screwed into the post and also screwed into lugs 29 and 2.1, respectively, which were premolded in the back wall 19 of the bumper cushion 15 and also threaded to receive bolts 22 and 23, respectively. There could be any number of lugs molded in the back wall and they could be tapped and threaded to receive various sizes of bolts and screws and might even provide for dual means to attach to different kinds of surfaces.

A fragmentary section of the rear wall 19 of bumper cushion 15 is shown broken away in FIG. 5 so as to show one of the lugs 20 embedded in wall 19 which also shows the threading in tap 24 of the lug to receive the forward threads 25 of bolt 22 while the rearward threads 26 would be screwed into post 11.

In FIG. 6 is shown the front elevational view of an alternative shape for a bowling ball cushion and FIG. 7 is a sectional view in elevation of the same along line 77 of FIG. 6. The air-cushion bumper illustrated is capable of stopping and holding smaller and lighter oncoming duck bowling balls to keep them from bouncing up and down on the ball rack as well as keeping such balls from bouncing backward. The smaller oncoming balls roll under the protruding point or peak 27 and strike the irregularly shaped conical surface 28 below said point and in pressing forward the ball causes the point or peak 27 to lower onto the ball and hold it. The lower valley 29 causes the lower half of the irregularly-shaped conical wall 28 to roll in. The final resistance point in the use of duck bowling balls is the lower annular rim or bead 30 :and the compressed air inside the cushion. When using heavier nine inch bowling balls the first point of contact is 27, the peak of the irregularly-shaped cone 28. As the ball continues pushing forward the upper valley 29 permit-s the wall 28 to roll in and point 27 recedes. All the time however the air inside the bump absorber is being compressed. Finally the ball pushes point 27 back far enough and conical wall 28 rolls up until ball comes in contact with lower annular rim or bead 30. However, it is believed the most effective stopping efiort opposing the advancing bowling ball is the air contained in the bump absorber although the casing itself is designed to give considerable resistance.

It will be seen from FIG. 7 that the lower side wall portion below the protruding conical projection 28 is of appreciably less depth than the upper side wall portion thereabove. As a consequence, the laterally oval front wall is canted obliquely downward, i.e., it is arranged in a plane which faces forward in an oblique downward direction. Also, the'protruding conical projection 28 which is centrally carried by- -this front wall is likewise canted obliquely downward for the advantageous purpose set forth above, particularly with respect to smaller balls.

FIGS. 8 and '9 illustrate another alternative construction that has enjoyed'uu'de acceptance in the trade:- Al- Y though it is very similarto the bump absorber represented by FIG. 3 and-FIG. 4 it does feature a much larger air It hasyso to speak; the same construction of bumper shown in FIGS; 3 and 4 but withthe right and left chamber.

side walls extended outward to effect an oval shape.-

This change accounts for the muchlarger air chamber in this typeof bump asborber.

To describe its various elements specifically it haspeak 31 to conical surface 32, which declines to valley 33. The

exterior surface then rises from the valley to form annular rim or head 34 which appearsin FIG. 8-to represent However, the donut shape;

the outside roll of a donut. is not the outside edge of thebump absorber as it is'in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

In thebtunpabsorber of FIGS. 8 and 9 the annular rim or head 34 returns backwto meet the face i 35 of the oval-shaped main body of the bump absorber containing the much-larger air chamber 36-this is best shown in FIG19. The back wall 37 of the bump absorberhas the identical construction as shown in FIG. 3 land featuring lugs 38 and 39 :which had been tapped and threaded A very important feature of the several alternative construotions illustrated in the drawings is the fact that the materials of which the bump absorbers are made make no noise when moved, bumped or compressed. The air cushion is noiseless. So the protection of newel' or terminal posts with a bump absorber of this invention eliminates jarring contacts and noises. By eliminating jarring contacts the device also reduces loosening "of elements of the terminal posts and all the noise rattling loosened pains could make. of members reduces costs of maintenance also;

It is within the scope of this invention to make the bumpabsorbing air cushion out of rubber or rubber-like materials, such as plastisols, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane or other plastic materials.

In some instances the bump absorbers may not be resilient enough for some bowling lane proprietors, in which case it is within the scope of this invention to drillone or more small holes in the back wall of the bumper so that the bump absorber becomes more resilient to impact by reason of the small holes for air to escape through when the ball compresses the air cushion. After the ball comes to rest on the rack the air cushion sucks back as much air as was squeezed out in the impact blow.

It is also within the scope of this invention to inject or extract air by means of a hypodermic needle-like valve inserted through the wall of the casing, so as to add or subtract to the volume of air that would ordinarily fill the air chamber when the casing was being molded. The

addition of air under pressure would harden the bump absorber, whereas the extraction of air would make the This elimination of jarring and loosening- (b) a rear portion provided with means to mount said casing to an upstanding ballstop support and (c) a forwardly-facing front Wall with the air chamber located therebetween,

(d) said front wall comprising a protruding conical projection substantially terminating in a peak for initial ball contact and (e) at least one portion flanking said peak on the lower side thereof set back from said peak and forming a secondary ball contact area a (f) lWltil said protruding conical projection being capable of inward flexure under relatively heavy impact of an oncoming ball to cause primary cushioning contact of the ball-at the peak of said conical projection and then secondary cushioning'contact of the flanking portion of said front wall portion'below said peak.

2. A bowling ball bump absorber comprising (a) a hollow casing of relatively still, rubber-like material having an internal chamber defined by (b) a forwardly-facing front wall,

( c) rearward-ly-extending side wall and (d) a transverse rear wall spaced back from said front wall, the latter being provided in 'a generally central area thereof with (e) a forWa-rdlyaprotruding conical projection substantially terminating in a peak for initial ball contact and (f) a forwardly-projecting bead flanking at least the lower side of said peakand spaced appreciably radially down therefrom, said bead being set back appreciably from said peak thereby forming a secondary ball contact area,

(g) said protruding conical projection being capable of inward fiexure under relatively heavy impact of an oncoming ball tocause primary cushioning contact of the ball at the peak of said :conical projection and then secondary cushioning contact of said flank-' ing bead below said peak, and (It) means carried by said rear wall to mount said casing to an upstanding balil stop support. 3. The bowling ball bump absorber as defined in claim 2 characterized by (i) said forwardly-projecting. bead being annularly continuous and arranged about said protruding conical projection, (j) :saidbead being set back from said peak on all lateral sides of the latter. 4. The bowling ball bump absorber as defined in claim 3 characterized by (it) said protruding conical projection being centr-ally located on said front wall with said side wall being circular and (I) said bead beinglocated in the vicinity of said side wa 5. The bowling ball bump absorber as defined in claim 13 characterized by (m) said front wall and side wall being transversely oval with (n) said protruding conical projection being located substantially medial of the lateral sides thereof. 46. The bowling ball bump absorber as defined in claim 5 characterized by (0) said bead being circular with (p) said conical projection being circumscribed by said bead having upper and lower arcuate portions above and below said conical projection located in the near vicinity of upper and lower portions of said side wall which are disposed above and below said conical projection. 7. The bowling ball bump absorber as defined in claim 6 characterized by (q) said lower side wall portion being of appreciably less depth than said upper'side wall portion thereby canting said front wall and its conical projection obliquely downward.

8. The bowling ball bump absorber as defined in claim 2 characterized by (r) said rear wall having anchoring means fixedly molded therein.

9. A bowling ball bump absorber comprising 5 (a) a hollow casing of relatively stiff, rubber-like material having an internal air chamber defined by (b) a forwardly-facing front Wall which is transversely oval in outline with its central portion extending forward beyond the oval marginal zone thereof. 10

(c) a transverse rear wall spaced back from said front Wall and *being similarly transversely oval in outline with (d) said rear wall being disposed obliquely in a down- (e) a continuous side wall having its front edge integral with the marginal zone of said front Wall and its rear edge integral With the marginal Zone of said rear wall and together defining tan interior air chamber,

(f) said side wall being oval in transverse outline and of appreciably less depth on the lower side than on the upper side thehreby effecting the obliquely down- Ward canting of said fonvWardly-facing front Wall, and

(g) means anchored in said rear Wall to mount said hollow casing to an upstanding =ball stop support with said rear Wall disposed substantially upright.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,510,720 Thompson Oct. 7, 1924 1,900,469 Skrlec et all Mar. 7, 1933 2,574,046 Logan Nov. 6, 195-1 2,994,534 Davis et al Aug. 1, 196 1 

1. A BOWLING BALL BUMP ABSORBER COMPRISING (A) A HOLLOW CASING OF RELATIVELY STIFF, RUBBER-LIKE MATERIAL HAVING AN INTERNAL AIR CHAMBER, SAID CASING COMPRISING (B) A REAR PORTION PROVIDED WITH MEANS TO MOUNT SAID CASING TO AN UPSTANDING BALL STOP SUPPORT AND (C) A FORWARDLY-FACING FRONT WALL WITH THE AIR CHAMBER LOCATED THEREBETWEEN, (D) SAID FRONT WALL COMPRISING A PROTRUDING CONICAL PROJECTION SUBSTANTIALLY TERMINATING IN A PEAK FOR INITIAL BALL CONTACT AND (E) AT LEAST ONE PORTION FLANKING SAID PEAK ON THE LOWER SIDE THEREOF SET BACK FROM SAID PEAK AND FORMING A SECONDARY BALL CONTACT AREA (F) WITH SAID PROTRUDING CONICAL PROJECTION BEING CAPABLE OF INWARD FLEXURE UNDER RELATIVELY HEAVY IMPACT OF AN ONCOMING BALL TO CAUSE PRIMARY CUSHIONING CONTACT OF THE BALL AT THE PEAK OF SAID CONICAL PROJECTION AND THEN SECONDARY CUSHIONING CONTACT OF THE FLANKING PORTION OF SAID FRONT WALL PORTION BELOW SAID PEAK. 